The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-09
from Our Second Edition of Yesterday
BLAINE ON THE MESSAGE.
INTERVIEW WITH THE PLUMBED
KNIGHT IN PARIS.
A Congiomeration OF the Weakest State
ments, Not Arguments, Ever Ex-
pressed by the Tattooed Statesman
He Says Tobacco Is a Necessity.

hand under the direction OF the Tribune's
Paris correspondent and sent by cable to-
night. II is as follows:
81 have been reading an abstract of the
Presidents message, and have been espe-
cially interested in tho comments OF the
London papers. Those papers all assume
to declare the message is a free trade man
iiesto, and evidently are anticipating an
enlarged market for English fabrics in the
United States as consequence of the
Presidents recommendations Perhaps
that fact stamped the characterof the mes
sage more clearly than any words OF mine
can"
"You don't mean actual free trade with
out duty?" queried the reporter.
mo-" replied Mr.. Blaine. "Nor do the
London papers mean that They simply
mean that the President has recommended
what in the United States is known rs a
revenue tariff, rejecting the protective
feature as an object, and not even permit
ting protection to result freely as an Incl
dent TO revenue duties"
81 don't know that quite comprehend
that last point" said the reporter.
81 mean" said Mr.. Blaine, that for the
first time in the history OF the United
States the President recommends retain
ing the internal tax in order that the tariff
may be forced down even below the fair
revenue standard. He recommends that
the tax on tobacco be retained, and thus
that many millions annually shall be levied
on domestic product which would far
better come from tariff on foreign
fabrics"
"Then do you mean TO imply that you
would favor the repeal of the tobacco
tax"
Certainly; / mean Just that, said Mr.
Blaine. 81 should urge that il be done ut
once, even before the Christmas holidays
1t would, in the first place, bring great re-
lief To the growers of tobacco all over the
country, and would materially lessen the
price OF the article 10 consumers. Tobacco
to millions of men is Il necessity. The
President calls il luxury, but il is lux
ury in no other sense than tea and coffee
are luXuries. II is well to remember that
the luxury OF yesterday becomes a neces-
sity OF today. Watch, II you please, the
number OF men nc work on the farm, in
the coal mine, along the railroad, in the
iron foundry, or in any calling, and YOU
will find ninety-tive 10 100 chewing while
Aii'N Nbihs hlltI tdiil lltill lllt hdillt
proportion seek the solace OF q pipe or
cigar. These men not only pay the
millions Of the tobacco tax, but pay on
every plug and every cigar an enhanced
price, which the tax enables the manufact-
urcr and retailer TO impose. The only
! excuse for such tax is the actual neces.
| sity under which the government found
itself during the war and the years imme-
diately following. To retain the tax now
IN order TO destroy the protection which
would incidentally flow from raising the
same amount of money on foreign imports
rs certainly q most extraordinary policy for
our government"
well, then, Mr., Blaine, would you adj
wise the repeal OF the whisky taxi"
mo, ! wOuld-not. Other considerations
than those OF financial administration are
10 be taken into account with regard 10
whisky. There is q moral side 10 il. To
cheaper the price OF whisky is TO increase
| the consumption enormously There
would bc no sense in urging the reform
wrought by high license in many States
II the national government neutralizes the
good effect by making whisky within reach
Of everyone at 20 cents gallon. Whisky
would be everywhere distilled II the sur
drawn by the remission OF the tax, and
Illicit sales could not then be prevented
even by policy rs rigorous and searching
~ that with which Russia pursues the
nihilists. II would destroy high license
at once in all the States.
whisky has done vast deal OF harm
in the United States. would try TO make
IL do some good. | would use the tax 10
foriiiy our cities on the seaboard. In view
OF the powerful letter addrsSscd 10 the
Democratic party ON the subject Of fortif-
cation by the late Samuel j. Tilden, in
1881, am amused that no attention has
been paid 10 the subject by the Democratic
administration. Never before in the his
tory Of the world has any government al
lowed great cities on the seabOard, like
Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Balti.
more, New Orleans and San Francisco, TO
remain dcicnsclcss."
But said the reporter, "you don't
think W. are 10 have a war In any dircc-
| TOM
Certainly not" said Mr.. Blaine.
Neither presume. did Mr.. Tildcn when
he wrote his remarkable letter. hut We
should change remote chance into an alb.
solutc impOssbility II our weak aud ex-
posed points were strongly fortified. II to-
/ day We had by any chance even such n
war ~ We had with Mexico, our enemy
could procure ironclads in Europe that
would menace our great cities with de-
StructiOn or lay them under contribution. "
But would not our terrifying now look
~ u We expected war"
why should II any more than the
| Notifications made seventy or eighty years
lfsssN.
cd themselves against successful attack
| from the ornaments al that day. We
| don't necessarily expect burglar because
We lock our doors at night, but II by any
| possibility burglar comes u contributes
vastly 10 our peace OF mind and our sound
sleep Ia feel that he can't GIT In.
"But after the Notifications should be
constructed would you still maintain the
| tax on whisky2'
yes" said Mr. Blaine $50 long as
there is whisky to tax would tax Il, and
when the national government should
| have no use Tor the money ] would divide
| the tax among the Federal Union with
the specific object OF tightening the tax ON
/ real estate. The houses and farms Of the
whole country pay too large proportion Of
the total taxes. II ultimately relief could
be given Ia that direction. II would In
my judgment, be wise and bcnciccnt
| policy. Some honest but misguided friends
Of temperance have urged that the gov.
/ eminent should not use the money derived
/ from the tax on whisky. My reply is that
the tax on whisky by the federal
government, with IT, suppression Of all H.
licit distillation and consequent enhance.
mcni Of price, has been n powerful agent
Ia the temperance reform 10y putting Il
beyond the mach OF ~ many. The